We’re running a giveaway to coincide with the release of our new video on hi res audio! To enter, watch our giveaway video and make sure you’re subscribed to the Hifiheadphones YouTube channel. Then, follow the instructions in the video. Best of luck!

CONTEST TERMS, RULES AND REGULATIONS

1. TERMS AND CONDITIONS
   1. YouTube’s Community Guidelines must be followed and adhered to at all times. Violation of these terms at any time will result in entrant’s disqualification.
   2. YouTube’s Terms of Service must be adhered to at all times. Violation of the ToS will result in entrant’s disqualification.
   3. Hifiheadphones’ Terms and Conditions must be adhered to at all times. Breach of these terms will result in the entrant’s disqualification.
   4. Hifiheadphones are solely responsible for the content, facilitation, and fulfillment of this contest.
   5. Neither YouTube nor any of their affiliates or subsidiaries are involved in any way with this competition or with Hifiheadphones.
2. CONTEST PROCEDURE
   1. To be entered into consideration to win, users must complete BOTH:
      1. Be subscribed to the Hifiheadphones YouTube channel
      2. Leave a comment as prescribed by the content of this video.
   2. Contest will commence with this video going live and will terminate on 30/06/2019.
   3. After this date, winner will be randomly selected out of all entrants who have completed both requirements. Only one entry will be accepted per user. Should no entrants fulfill both requirements, no winner will be selected.
   4. Winner will be publically acknowledged by one or more of the following: YouTube comment, in-video acknowledgement, newsletter email.
   5. Winner will be given instructions to claim their prize via the Hifiheadphones YouTube account.
3. DATA USAGE
   1. Only personal data collected for use will be the shipping information of the winner in order to send prize. No other entrants will have personal information stored.
   2. Shipping details will remain in our sales system as per data protection laws, to be used for the express purpose of providing prize to winning entrant.
   3. No third party software will be utilized to aggregate winner, nor to influence results.

The post YouTube Contest Terms and Conditions appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

Since the invention of Bluetooth, it’s gone through many versions (well, 5 to be exact). But what do they all mean? Before a new version comes out and makes this video old news, here’s a rundown of what makes Bluetooth 5.0 so special.

To fully understand how far the technology has come, here’s a bit of a Bluetooth history lesson.

The History

Bluetooth 1.0

Bluetooth 1.0 was released back in 1999, and as you can imagine, it was pretty limited compared to what we are used to now. Back then, though, it was quite groundbreaking. The technology made it possible for compatible devices to transmit data wirelessly over short distances and using minimal power. It was first used in mobile phones and PC cards, allowing mobiles to connect to Bluetooth headsets for hands-free talking, and for PCs to communicate with wireless mice, keyboards, digital cameras and printers.

Bluetooth 2.0

For all its achievements, Bluetooth 1.0 was limited when it came to audio. Low data speeds meant that speech was just about the limit: transferring music required a higher data transfer speed. Skip to 2004, and we say hello to Bluetooth 2.0 and EDR, or Enhanced Data Rate. The big change here is increased data speeds, from 0.7Mbps to a whopping 3Mbps thanks to the EDR technology. Another improvement was to the maximum wireless range – this was increased from 10m to 30m. To this day, 3Mbps is the maximum connection speed. There have been other improvements over time, though.

Bluetooth 4.0

The next big jump was in 2010 with the release of Bluetooth 4.0, increasing the max range to 60m and introducing the use of Low Energy. This allowed for quick bursts of data transfers to be done with the use of even less power with relatively high data speeds of 1Mbps, opening the doors to Apple and Microsoft: bringing Bluetooth to the big leagues. Version 4.0 went through a few of its own updates, improving security, speed and efficiency until 2016 and the release of Bluetooth 5.0.

Bluetooth 5.0

Bluetooth 5.0 shows how quickly this technology is advancing, with the max range being quadrupled to 240m and Low Energy data speeds doubling to 2Mbps. Boosting the range and reducing power usage has meant that Bluetooth can be used on a larger number of different devices, allowing them to transmit large amounts of data at high speeds with little power being used – and it’s only going to get better. Bluetooth 5.0 also enabled a new dual audio feature – allowing users to stream audio to two different devices at the same time from one source.

Backwards Compatibility

It’s amazing to see how much Bluetooth has improved in just 20 years, and even more impressive is that the smart brains behind it has managed to keep the technology backwards compatible. This means that no matter what version of Bluetooth your devices have – they will be able to communicate with each other. Just remember that being backwards compatible means that you will be getting the benefits of the lowest Bluetooth version – so it’s always worth making sure your devices have the most current version of Bluetooth to get the most out of the technology.

Summary

To summarise, the main improvements gained from Bluetooth 5.0 are:

• Longer transmission range – Increased to 240m from 60m.

• Higher data transfer speed – Bluetooth Low Energy speed doubled to 2Mbps, allowing all audio devices to communicate with reduced power usage.

• Dual Audio – Allowing you to play audio on two devices at the same time from one source.

The post Bluetooth 5.0 Explanation & Video appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

OVERVIEW

The ME100 is Shanling’s first step into the world of earphones. Their history goes back a long way, starting off making high-end hifi equipment and then more recently becoming very well known for their portable music players. Now they’ve decided to apply their years of experience to the earphone market.

BUILD

It’s clear to see that Shanling mean business with the ME100. The housings are made using aluminium with a tempered glass outer coating. The aluminium has a matt black finish, which is a nice contrast to the glossy finish of the tempered glass. giving the earphones a very stylish look and feeling like they are built to last. Inside the housing is a 10mm dynamic driver. The drivers have been developed by Shanling themselves, with a nanocomposite diaphragm and a lightweight voice coil, providing more control and speaker efficiency.

COMFORT

Due to the size, weight and finish of the housings, comfort is very good with the ME100. They fit with the cable going over the ear: a typical in-ear monitor design. This provides a secure fit as well as deep insertion into the ear canal which helps with the sound performance and isolation. You also get a range of different eartips, with silicone and foam options. There’s a range of different sized silicone tips; the foam tips are supplied in medium size only. The large range of tips help to ensure that you’re getting a good seal, which is extremely important. I recommend you try all of the tips to make sure you are getting the most from the earphones, as a poor seal will result in a lack of bass and a tinny sound, which nobody wants.

FEATURES

Shanling haven’t scrimped when it comes to the accessories. The replacement cable is made using high purity oxygen free copper, with 8 wires all made up of 18 conductors each. The cable is coated in a TPE material which helps reduce microphonics, meaning cable noise is kept to a minimum. You also get a hard carry case which looks very posh. it’s a shame there isn’t a smaller pouch as well as the case supplied is fairly large. Once you’ve found the best fitting eartips, isolation is decent with the ME100.

SPECS

At 16ohms, the ME100 is designed to be driven well by portable devices, and the 111dB sensitivity means that they can go nice and loud from a phone or laptop. Plug them into a high quality player or amplifier, and the ME100 brings even more in terms of dynamics and soundstage, showing just how well the ME100 has been designed and built.

SOUND QUALITY

Now for the sound quality! The ME100 has really impressed me here. Bass is full and deep with a really enjoyable warmth. The bass stays where it needs to. It re-enforces the midrange without getting in the way. Shanling have nailed the midrange. It’s clear and crisp with a musical tone that’s on the brighter side, so it’s not as rich sounding as some other models out there, yet they do work well with both male and female vocals. There’s a good amount of body there and for me, I experienced no fatigue or sibilance. Up top, the treble extends far and keeps things exciting. Soundstage is very impressive. There’s a lot of space with well defined separation and clear imaging going from left to right.

CONCLUSION

For just under £100, I think the Shanling ME100 is extremely competitive, if not a bit of a steal. There are millions of earphones out there for under £100, including models from big brands like Shure, SoundMAGIC, RHA, Beyerdynamic and more. I think you’d struggle to find another earphone at this price that has the same level of build, with a replaceable cable, and sound verging on audiophile quality. The ME100 isn’t going to please bass heads, or those who want Bluetooth (even though you could attach a Bluetooth cable to the ME100’s MMCX connectors). The Shanling ME100 is well worth considering. You may not have heard of the brand before, but don’t let that put you off. You’ll thank me for it.

The post Shanling ME100 Review & Video appeared first on HiFiheadphones.

In our first episode of ProTips we will go through 5 easy steps for looking after your headphones.

Please take a look at our Christmas top 10 Best Headphone Christmas Gifts 2014 – Under £250

The post Hifi Headphones ProTips – Headphone Care appeared first on HiFiheadphones.